D house shapes multiple clever facades maximizing privacy in tel aviv neighborhood

D House by Tzvi Harel + Uri Milic forms around a courtyard

Architects Tzvi Harel + Uri Milic construct ‘D House’, a residence designed for a mature couple in Tel Aviv. Built on a 100 sqm lot and sharing a wall with the neighboring structures to the north and south, the townhouse extends three floors surrounding a private courtyard. With most housing units in the region having only two exposures, front and rear, the arrangement results in non-private facades that are easily visible from the street. First floor windows are usually quite small and often closed with shutters, while entry doors open directly onto the sidewalk, with no spaces in between. ‘D House’ deviates from this typology offering a different approach.

all images by Mikaela Burstow

the design maintains both privacy and openness

To create maximum privacy, the design duo creates a courtyard as a buffer between the house and the street. The entrance through the courtyard provides a gradual transition between public and private. The courtyard forms a third facade facing south, allowing southern sun to enter the kitchen and bedroom on that side. This facade, set back from the street and facing the courtyard, is designed to be completely open. The floor-to-ceiling windows and the access shaft of the house fill the house with bright natural light, while the front facing the street remains private and opaque.

the front facing the street remains private and opaque

the townhouse forms three floors sharing a wall with the neighboring structures to the north and south

the project organizes the living zones through a gradual transition between public and private

floor-to-ceiling windows and the access shaft of the house fill the house with bright natural light

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project info:

name: D House
designer: Milic+ Architects – Tzvi Harel + Uri Milic

location: Tel Aviv, Israel

photography: Mikaela Burstow | @architecturalphotographer